Lever-lock for automobiles.



' w; 1. MILES. "LEVER LOCK FORZAUTOMbBILES. I APPLICATIONHLED IULY 19, i-SIS.

- 19mm M 28, 1915.

2 SHEETS--3HEET 1.

w. 1. MILES. LEVER LOCK FOR APTOMOBfLES. APPL.ICAT|0N.FILED JULYJS-Jl9l'5.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

' WILLIAM JOHN MILES, or fonivvnn, comm-mo.

rinvnn nocii ron AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed idly 19, 1915. Serial No. 40,610.

T all w ho m it may concerm Be it known that 1, WILLIAM 'Jornv Mines,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the of an automobile-in neutral position in order to prevent the movement of the machine it is.equally applicable to; a brake lever, or

base portions.

or user of themachine same.

city and county of Denver and State of Color'ado, have invented certain new and useful "Improvements 1n Lever-Locks for Automo-- biles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in ,the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

2 My invention relates to mprovement's in means for loeklng levers against movement when set in a predetermined position. In

the specific embodiment of the invention dis closedin the drawing, the invention is intended for use in lock ng the gear shift lever by its own power when the lever is so locked. In other words the object of the invention as. disclosed in the drawing is to lock the gear shift lever againstmovement by an unauthorized person or one not holding a key to the padlock w'hich is employed in securingthe parts of the device-in the locking position. v

While the invention is shown applied to a' gear shift lever, it must be understood that anyother formof lever which it may be desired to lock in a predetermined position of adjustment, to prevent any one excepta per son having a key to the lock from moving the lever for any purpose.

' f My improved device consists of two parts or. members, adapted to embrace the shank ofthe lever on opposite sides, the two mem bers of the device being interlocked at the, base by means of cooperating hooks and.

at the top by ahand or. ring whichholds the upper extremities of the two members against the lateralmove lugs, and secured ment necessary to disengage the interlocked from the lever, so that whennot in use, it may be carried in the tool box of the machine, and is only'actually applied to-the lever when the owner This device is detachable In. the drawing 1 have illustrated the inyent'ion as applied to two different styles of Specification of Letters Patent.

desires to leave the Patented rise. as, leis.

gear shift levers, one style having aball and 1 socket base, and the other style what may be termed a quadrant base.

v Having briefly outlined my improve ment, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated. an

embodiment thereof.

in this drawing-Figure 1 is a .sideelevation' of my. improved lever lock showing the same in the locking position, the two parts or'members being connected by a padlock. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device shownon a. larger scale, the lock being also applied to a lever. T hlS 1s a view looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, with the padlock removed. Fig. 3 is a similar vlew with one member or half of the device removed, the securing band at the top being shown insection; Figs. i and 5 are Sections taken on the lines 4-4 and 5 5 respectively of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent said lines. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the securing band or ring adapted to be applied to the top of the two members constituting the body of the' device. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of the device showing a slightly modified formof construction so far as the shank of the lever is concerned. Fig. 8 is a side elevation showing the device applied to the gear shift lever operated in connection with a quadrant-base. Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9- -9,'Fig. 8, the parts being shown on a larger scale. Fig. 10' is a section taken on the line 10-10, Fig.

11. Fig. 11 is a cross section taken on the underneath so that the two parts 6 when taken together form the segment of a sphere, adapted to fit the base 7 of a lever 8 having a shank 9 extending upwardly from the base. the latter being convex in shapeto fit the hollowed out part of the base of the locking device; Each of'tlie parts 6 has a laterally projecting lug 1'0' and a downwardlybe'nt hook 11, the lugs and hooks is assembled. The upper extremity of each member of the lock body consists of a half collar 12, the two -collar parts having abutting faces 13 and adapted to be fastened in the assembled relation by means of a securposition, the hook. 11 of each member will ing band or ring 14 whichis provided with a depending perforated lug 15 which is adapted to engage a similar lug 16 formed on one of the members 5 near its upper extremity and perforated to register with the perforation of the lug 15 thus forming an opening for the hasp 17 of a padlock 18.

Between the parts (5 and 12 of each mem ber of the body of the lock, extends a shank portion 19 which may consist of a half sleeve or a segment of ,al sleeve, the two parts 19 being hollowed out to fit or approximately fit the shank 9 of the lever to which the device is applied.

As illustrated in the drawing (see Fig? 3), the collar portions 12 are adapted to fit into a circumferential groove 20 ,formed in. the shank of the lever, whereby when the parts 5 are in the assembled relation, longitudinal movement of the ,deviceuupon the shank of the lever is prevented.

In Fig. '7 instead of forminga groove in the Slltlk of the lever, the latter is provided with a v is engaged by the upper surface of the parts 12, thus preventing the upward movement of the 'device on the shank of the lever. It will thusbe seen that this collar performs substantially the same function asthe groove in the other form of structure. v

In applying the members 5'to the lever, they are arranged on opposite sides thereof, one member being tilted to form an angle -with the other member and so that as the tilted member is brought into the upright interlock with the corresponding lug 10 of the other member, the collar parts 12 at the same time being brought into position to form the complete collar which fits around the shankof the lever being either in en- 'gagement-with the groove 20 (see Fig. 3), or fitted to the shank of the lever below the shoulder 22 (see Fig. 7) The securing band '14 is then applied to the collar, being supported by virtue of the engagement of its lower surface with the upper extremities of 2 strengthening webs 2-3 formed on the parts 19 of the members 5. In this event the lug 15 of the band engages the cooperating lug 15 of one of the niembers'5 so that their perforations register. The hasp 17 of the padlock may then be passed through the opening formed by these two perforations and secured in the locking position, thus making it. impossible for any one to remove the device from the lever except a person holding the key to thepadlock.

ollar 21 forming a shoulder 22 which masses which-it is adjusted.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, my improved lock is shown applied to a lever 8 which is mounted in connection with a quadrant 24-. whereby when the lever is in the neutral position (see Fig. 9) the shank 9 is in a central position, and in order to shift it to connect the driving mechanism of the car with the engine or motor, it is necessary to move this shank laterally 1,0 one direction or the other whereby it may move in one ofthe spaces or 26. In this event I construct the base part 6 of each member 5 with two depending projections 27 adapted to respectively enter the spaces 25 and 26 and fill the same to such an extent that the lever cannot be shifted laterally in either direction. Vith this exception the structure is substantially the same as shown in the other views except that the parts (3 are not semicircular and are not hollowed out at the base as there is no occasion therefor. From this it will be understood that the only desideratum with reference to the formation of the base or lower extrel'nity of the device is that it shall be of such form as to fit the underlying surface in such a manner as to prevent tilting in any direction, in which event the tilting or operating movement of the lever. will be prevented. Hence if the device is applied to a. gear shift lever the latter being in the neutral position, the lever cannot be moved ber suiiiciently to disengage the interlock-- ing lugs and hooks 1i) and 11. The device may then be placed in the tool box or other receptacle until it is again needed.

From what has already been explained.

it will be understood that my improved lever lock includes a metai' shank, jacket, brace or sleeve hav ng a. collar or apron extending outwardly, laterally, in either direction from its lower end which is thereinserts,

fore expanded. This outwardly projected apron or expanded base constituting the;

surface, that is the top surface of that. part of the car immediately surrounding the lever, whether it be the car floor, the top or any quadrant, quadrant t 'ame, slotted frame or other thing in which the lever of. any particular make or kind of car may operate. The upper end of this shank, jacket, brace or sleeve is fitted either under the shoulder or upper edge of a groove out into the sides of the lever, or under a. projecting collar or ring jutting out from the side or sides of any such le er. The upper shoulder or edge of the groove, or the aforesaid out-jutting collar or ring, as the case may be, prevents any perpendicular move- 'ment of said brace or sleeve upward along the lever. The surface underlying said apron or expanded brace of said thank, sleeve or brace prevents any perpendicular movement of said shank downwardly or along the lever. Hence, an important feature of this device consists in the construction of said shank, jacket, brace or sleeve whereby it 13 made immovable perpendicularly, either upward or downward, along the lever, so thatany movement of the gear shift lever for instance from the neutral position, or of a brake lever from its position of high tension, is made impossible by the pressure or resistance of the outer portion or edge of said apron, or of the edge or outer portion of said expanded lower end, against its underlying surface; that-is, by

the resistance of the top surface of the car floor or of any quadrant, slotted frame, etc, against the spread-out lower end of the shank or sleeve. Otherwise expressed, the resistance of the car door or other underlying surface against the aforesaid expanded lower end of said shank or sleeve prevents any tilting, lateral or horizontal movement of any such lever, and a tilting, lateral or horizontal movement of any such lever is neccssary in order to move it from the desired predetermined position, whether such pre- --.determined position be, in the case of a gear shift lever, wherethe gears are out of mesh, or disengaged, or in the case of. a brake lever, where it is at its highest, or a high point of tension.

In the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the device is a metal straight jacket applied to an automobile or motor vehicle lever for the purpose of holding it immovable in any desired, predetermined position. It is evident, however, that an shape for the lower extremity of this device that will prevent the movement of the lever to be locked, from the predetermined position in which it isdesired to secure it, is

.' Having thus described Within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

my invention, what I claim is, H

1:111 a lever lock thefcombinat-ioh' with the lever having a stop, of a locking memher having means upon one extremity for engaging a support to prevent lateral movement of the lever, and. a collar upon its opposite extremity for engaging said stop to prevent movementcot the member lon gitudinally of the lever.

2. T he combination with a lever having a stop, of a locking device comprising laterally separable members provided at longitudinally spaced points with lever engaging parts, the said parts at one end of the device being provided with interlocking coiiperating elements, and alocking band for encircling the said parts at the other end of the devil-e. said band and one of said members being provided with registering apertured lugs adapted to receive the hasp of a padlock. I

The combination with, a lever, oil a locking device composed of two approxi mately twin members which are separable and intcrlockingly connected atone end, a, band removably encircling-the other ends of said members, the band and one of said said members, the band and one of said membersbeing provided with cotiperating apertured lugs adapted to receive a padlock hasp, and means on said locking device for engaging a fixed object to prevent lateral movement of the lock when the locking device is applicd.

A. lever lock comprising two elongated -members having'concaved faces to engage the opposite sides of said lever, semicircular collar members at one end of said elongated members, strengthening ribs on said elongated members extending to the base of saidcollar members and forming stops at the base of said collar, a locking band for encircling said collar members, means for connecting said locking band to one of said members, and means at the other end of said elongated members for securing them against separation.

, 6. Alever lock comprising two elongated members having concaved inner faces and provided at one end with laterally ext-end ing base plates, the base plate of each member having a radially extending lugadjacent one of its meeting faces, a laterally extending hook on its'other meeting face, the

as memes hook on each member being designed to envided at one end with laterally extending 'base plates. the base plate of each member having a radially extending lug adjacent one of its meeting faces, a laterally extending hook on its other meeting face, the hook on each member being adapted to engage the lug of the other member for interlockingl v connecting said members, the other end of said elongated member being provided with semicircular collar members overhanging the concaved faces thereof, a band for encircling said collar members, and cooperating means on one of said elongated members and on said band for securing them together.

8. In a lever lock the combination With the lever having a stop, of a locking mem ber Whose base is expanded'to engage the surface surrounding the lever to be locked, and a collar on said member for engaging said stop to prevent movement of the member longitudinally of the lever.

9. The combination with a lever, of a locking device composed of two members i which are separable and interlockingly connecte'd at one end, said end being expanded and constructed to titthesurface or object by which the lower part of the lever is surrounded, to proventthe device from being tilted from a position corresponding with. that of the lever to be secured, means coop-' e 'ating with the lever to prevent longitudinal movement of the device thereon, and a. securing band removably encircling said means for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination with a lever, of a locking device composed of tWO members which are separable and interlockingly connected at one end, said end being expanded to fit the surrounding surface to prevent tilting of the device. the lever having a stop, a semicircular collar mounted upon the opposite end of each of said members and adapted to engage said stop, and securing means encircling said collar to hold the latter in operative relation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM JOHN MILES.

Witnesses ALBERT OBnnsn, A. J. OBnnnv. 

